Former transport minister Nguyen Van The faces disciplinary action for Thuan An Group-related violations

Vietnam's Central Inspection Committee has proposed disciplining Nguyen Van The, former Minister of Transport.

A Wednesday release from the committee says the Party leaders of the Ministry of Transport for the 2021-2026 term breached the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, lacked responsibility, and showed loose leadership and direction.

The violations allowed the ministry and individuals to breach Party regulations and State laws in organizing and implementing bidding packages for projects executed by Thuan An Group.

Some ministerial officials and Party members violated Party regulations and State laws on preventing and combating corruption and waste, and breached rules on Party members’ code of conduct and responsibility to set a good example as leaders.

“The above violations caused serious consequences, risking a huge loss of money and State assets, causing bad public opinions and undermining the reputation of Party organizations and State management agencies to the point that disciplinary action must be taken,” the statement noted.

Personal responsibility for the above violations and shortcomings belongs to Nguyen Van The, former Minister of Transport; Le Dinh Tho, former Deputy Minister of Transport; and some other Party members, it stressed.

The committee also decided to expel Nguyen Quang Huy, director of the Project Management Board No. 4; and Vu Hai Tung, director of the Road Construction Investment Management Branch, from the Communist Party; and remove many others from all positions in the Party.

Many other people working for units under the ministry received warnings or were repremanded for their violations.

Thuan An Group, formerly known as Thuan An Trading and Construction Development JSC, was established on August 4, 2004. Headquartered at 141 Truong Chinh street, Hanoi, the company is a prominent name in the infrastructure construction market.

Forming partnerships with other units, Thuan An has won a series of large construction contracts across the country. It has bidded for 51 packages and won 39 of them with a total value of more than VND22.6 trillion ($890.8 million).

The Central Inspection Committee also reprimanded Pham Tan Cong, Party chief and president of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and its vice presidents Hoang Quang Phong, Vo Tan Thanh, and Bui Trung Nghia, among others in the chamber.

The committee proposed relevant authorities discipline Tran Van Ven, former Party chief and chairman of state-owned Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood II).

Ven was found to have degraded in political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle, and violated regulations on Party members’ code of conduct and responsibility to set a good example as leaders.

He violated Party regulations and State laws in performing assigned responsibilities and tasks in land management and use.

The violations “caused very serious consequences, upset public opinion, and adversely affected the reputation of Party organizations and State agencies where he worked for.”

In June 2023, Ven was arrested for further investigation into the crime of violating regulations on the management and use of State assets causing loss and waste related land.

Also on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued a warning to Tran Ngoc Cang, former Chairman of of Quang Ngai province, for violations related to a project implemented by Phuc Son Group.